SAN FRANCISCO – When Linda Martin refinanced the mortgages on three different houses nearly three years ago, she thought the lower monthly payments would help her save more money for retirement.

Instead, the Lakewood, Colo. skin-care specialist is sinking in financial quicksand amid a widening mortgage morass that’s pulling down home prices and threatening to drag the U.S. economy into a recession.

“I’m hanging on by a thread, not knowing whether I am going to be living in a car in six months,” said Martin, who declined to reveal her age.

The US government is on a ‘burning platform’ of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon, the country’s top government inspector has warned.

David Walker, comptroller general of the US, issued the unusually downbeat assessment of his country’s future in a report that lays out what he called “chilling long-term simulations”.

These include “dramatic” tax rises, slashed government services and the large-scale dumping by foreign governments of holdings of US debt.

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.

“Sound familiar?” Mr Walker said. “In my view, it’s time to learn from history and take steps to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time.”

Let’s not forget the hanging of the neocon motherfuckers who thought they could pull a bullshit American Empire internationally and a Christo Americana domestically.

**EXCLUSIVE 10:19 AM ET ** Radio host Don Imus has agreed to settle his contract with CBS for $20 million, and a non disparaging clause, legal sources claim. The move opens the possibility Imus will soon return to the airwaves — on WABC in New York! [Top radio executive strongly dismisses Imus will be offered WABC slot] Developing…

I have to admit it. I miss my blog. It wasn’t a mistake to end it. Even dead, it’s gotten over 395,000 views as of the last day of 2007! But I miss having a blog. Wait. What? Yes! That’s it! I’ll do a new blog!

Update: As of August 16 2008, when I happened to peek in here, the fake Rolling Stone magazine cover I’d created was shown to be expired. Expired?!!? WTF is that?! How absolutely stupid is that!? FAIL! I should have done a screensnap. If I knew this was going to happen, I would have — and […]

I never thought I would write this. And it has to appear here. Because it’s about Girls Don’t Cry. They no longer exist. They’ve disbanded. They’ve quit. Girls Don’t Cry as they were on June 21, 2007: Sora An, Rachael Cornick, Hannah Fairlight, Liz Kelly, Caitlin Gray Don’t Quit! Charles Bukowski Having failed to hold […]

It was one year ago today I started this blog. Now this: This blog is now over. No more posts. No updates. Nothing. You got what you didn’t pay for, now you’re not getting it any longer. And that is that. I reserve the right to totally delete this blog at some point of my […]

September 2007 Contents From first post to last – September 2007 subhead: Ah, You want to know why I hate you today! — Charles Baudelaire August 2007 Contents A Post-iTunes Fable For NBC Quote Of The Day: Jobs Rulz, Gates Luz Ohhhhhhhkay Jff Zukr: Ur No Gneeiz No Jeff Zucker: He Don’t Do Emo Newsflash! […]

Hear, Hear Americans should not fear talking–and listening–to those whose views we loathe. [T]his has been our history: to let all speak and to fear no one. That’s a good history to continue. This is brilliant.